The Plastic Problem: Ireland's Production And Potential Solutions

Ireland has the highest plastic waste generation in Europe, with an average of 61kg per person every year. This is almost double what the UK produces. In 2015, Ireland generated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste, and in 2019, about 65kg of plastic waste was generated per person. While 34% of plastic waste in Ireland is recycled, 39% is incinerated and 31% goes to landfill.

Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in Europe, generating an average of 61kg per person per year

The country's reliance on plastic is increasing, with plastic forming a major component of the 1.1 million tonnes of packaging waste in the year before the pandemic. This was an 11% increase on the previous year and the third year in a row that the amount exceeded 1 million tonnes.

The majority of plastic in Ireland is burned instead of recycled, with about 70% of plastic waste being incinerated. This is far higher than the EU average, and Ireland is the fourth lowest in the EU when it comes to recycling. In 2019, more than 13,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging and nearly 39,000 tonnes of recyclable plastic were sent for incineration.

Ireland's recycling rates have been in decline since 2013. In 2019, about 229kg of waste packaging was generated per person, including 65kg of plastic. Of this overall waste packaging, 62% was recycled.

In 2015, Ireland generated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste

Ireland has the highest plastic waste generation in Europe, far higher than the EU average. In 2015, Ireland generated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste. This is the equivalent of nearly 2,000 water bottles, or 5,550 disposable coffee cups, per person annually.

Ireland's recycling rates have been declining since 2013. In 2019, about 229kg of waste packaging was generated per person, including 65kg of plastic. Of overall waste packaging, 62% was recycled. However, when it comes to plastic specifically, only 28% was recycled, with 70% being burned instead.

The European Commission's data analysis arm, Eurostat, has said that Ireland's burgeoning reliance on plastic has been laid bare, with figures showing about 70% of it being burned instead of recycled. As the country attempts to get to grips with 2030 emissions reduction targets set out in the recently-signed Climate Bill, the onus is on both businesses and individuals to examine their plastic use.

Director of the EPA's office of environmental sustainability Sharon Finegan has said that businesses need to place less packaging on the market. We need to rethink how we make, transport and use products and move to a system where unnecessary packaging is avoided and any remaining packaging is designed either for re-use or recycling.

In 2019, Ireland's recycling rates showed a generally declining trend since 2013

Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in Europe, generating an average of 61kg per person every year. This is almost double what the UK produces. In 2015, Ireland generated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste.

The European Commission's data analysis arm, Eurostat, has said Ireland has the highest plastic waste generation, far higher than the EU average. Ireland is the fourth lowest in the EU when it comes to recycling.

The country is attempting to get to grips with 2030 emissions reduction targets set out in the recently-signed Climate Bill. Businesses need to place less packaging on the market, and rethink how they make, transport and use products.

In 2019, more than 13,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging and nearly 39,000 tonnes of recyclable plastic were sent for incineration

Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in Europe, generating an average of 61kg per person every year. This is almost double what the UK produces. In 2015, Ireland generated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste. In 2019, about 70% of plastic in Ireland was burned instead of recycled. This is far higher than the EU average. In fact, Ireland is the fourth lowest in the EU when it comes to recycling.

The high levels of plastic waste in Ireland are due to a variety of factors, including the country's burgeoning reliance on plastic and the low recycling rates. According to the Zero Waste Europe non-governmental organisation, global production and consumption of plastics have increased more than 20 times over the past 50 years, and are likely to double again over the next 20 years.

The Irish government and environmental organisations are working to reduce plastic waste and increase recycling rates. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to address this issue.

In 2019, about 229kg of waste packaging was generated per person, including 65kg of plastic

Ireland has the highest plastic waste generation in Europe, far higher than the EU average. In 2019, about 229kg of waste packaging was generated per person, including 65kg of plastic. This is a significant amount, especially when compared to the EU's average of 30% plastic recycling rate. Ireland's recycling rates have been declining since 2013, with only 34% of plastic waste recycled in 2019.

The country's reliance on plastic is evident, with plastic forming a major component of the 1.1 million tonnes of packaging waste generated in the year before the pandemic. This was an 11% increase from the previous year and the third consecutive year that the amount exceeded 1 million tonnes.

The majority of plastic waste in Ireland comes from packaging, with more than 60% of plastic waste originating from this source. However, only 40% of this packaging is recycled, according to figures from 2015. The remaining plastic waste is either incinerated or sent to landfills. In 2019, nearly 39,000 tonnes of recyclable plastic were sent for incineration instead of being recycled.

To reduce plastic waste, the onus is on both businesses and individuals to examine their plastic use. Businesses need to place less packaging on the market, and there needs to be a shift towards a system where unnecessary packaging is avoided, and any remaining packaging is designed for reuse or recycling.

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